Mexican Corn Tortillas
Mexican corn tortillas contain the simplest and fewest ingredients. You only need masa harina (corn flour) and water! Use them to make tacos, chips, quesadillas, tostadas, enchiladas, fajitas, you name it! This recipe also includes a DIY tortilla press.
Servings: 12 tortillas
Ingredients
- 246 g (2 cups) of Masa Harina corn flour seasoned with lime
- 1 tsp salt
- 250 ml (~1 cup water) plus more as needed
Optional Dough Flavorings
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together masa harina (corn flour with lime), salt, and flavorings, if using. Pour in water and stir until a soft dough forms. Add more flour or water as necessary; dough should not be sticky or dry. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 12 relatively equal portions (41-42 g each) and roll each into a smooth ball.TIP: Keep a small bowl with water nearby as you roll the dough into a ball. Dip your fingers into the water as you roll to prevent the ball from breaking apart.
- DIY Tortilla Press: Use a tortilla press to flatten out each ball. OR follow these DIY directions for making your own. Take a large zip top bag and cut 3 sides along the edges (including the zip-top side). Leave 1 side intact. Open the plastic with the remaining side intact. Place one dough ball in the center of one half of the plastic. Fold the plastic along the crease of the only connected side over on top the dough ball. Use a large flat bottom dish (glass works well) and press evenly and firmly to flatten out the dough (~6-inches in diameter). Flatten the dough out as much as possible. Once you remove the dish, you can use a rolling pin to flatten out even more, if needed.TIP: I rock the flat bottom dish back and forth to smooth and spread out the dough even more.
- Preheat a large dry skillet on medium-high heat over the stove. Once heated, place the first corn tortilla (removed from the bag) in the skillet and cook for 45 seconds or until brown spots form. Flip the tortilla and continue to cook on the other side for another 45 seconds or so until brown spots form. Be mindful of the heat, but you can shape one tortilla as another is cooking like an assembly line (saves lots of time!)TIPS: Skillet has heated enough to cook the tortillas when a splatter of tap water sizzles when it hits the skillet. The tortillas should be soft and foldable, if not, they are being cooked at too low heat.
- Place the cooked tortilla on a foil-lined plate and stack the tortillas as they cook. Place another sheet of foil on top to keep the tortillas warm as you cook the others. You can also place a heat-proof plate in a 200˚F (93˚C) oven and stack tortillas as they bake to keep all the tortillas warm before serving.
Video
Notes
Serving Suggestions:
Use the corn tortillas in any recipe that calls for them.
-enchiladas
-fajitas
-quesadillas
-tacos
-taquitos
-tostadas
Storing:
Store in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container at room temperature for a few days or freeze for a couple of months. Thaw on the counter for ~30 minutes and reheat in the microwave between 2 damp towels or in a dry skillet on the stove.